Just a few days ago (just to make it clear - I am writing this article on the last days of May 2017), we presented the Bloom R1 release for The Welkin Suite IDE, and to get this done we completed a huge amount of work. And now, I would like to take a look at, and talk with you about the main and most interesting moments that encompassed this:

And now, I would like to take a look at, and talk with you about the main and most interesting moments that encompassed this:

We started working on a set of features that were specific for Salesforce Admins. From now on, you as users are able to use such things as an sObjects Field-Level Security Editor, an sObjects Layout and Fields Inspector, and a Permission Set and Assignments Editor. The SOQL Query Builder is also available for use too, and it allows you to query business objects, even if you are seeing it for the first time in your life - all just in a few clicks!

We added a tool for static code analysis - PMD. Well, we have not just simply added this tool, but we are allowing to configure rulesets which include enabling/disabling predefined rules as well as setting different properties for them.

We have significantly improved the functionality for Lightning development. Personally, I'm impressed by the Lightning Online Previewer, as it allows our users to view their changes of Lightning Components directly in the IDE - right in the selected Application that hosts a component, or use any custom URL like a one for the detailed view of a record in your org.

Finally I am satisfied with the Apex Code Completion, which is available in Bloom R1. Now, this is Code Completion that really helps a developer! It's worthwhile to say that it works in both Triggers and Anonymous Apex as well. In general, the new version of the Apex Code Completion deserves a separate article. I hope it'll be written soon, while in the meantime, you can find more information here and here about this.

And of course, we've made a lot of small, but none the less, important improvements and enhancements. We have fixed a lot of bugs (Although it's certainly so strange, how can there be A LOT OF bugs in such a magnificent application? No, no bugs! Okay, maybe just a few ones, at the worst! )

There were some shortcomings as well. For example, we didn’t have enough time to complete the Validation Rules Editor by May 22 as we had promised, I confess. But this embarrassing shortcoming is going to be fixed soon!

So now that gets me to the point that I would like to start to gradually move on to previewing our autumn release for TWS. I mean this is what we are planning to do in the time between TrailheaDX'17 and Dreamforce'17.

The roadmap of TWS, from TrailheaDX'17 to Dreamforce'17:

To complete the Validation Rules Editor. We promised to do this earlier and implementing is our first priority. Even more, this is staying consistent with our strategy - to make TWS not only the best IDE for Salesforce Developers but also an efficient workspace for Salesforce Admins. In the context of this goal, we at the very least want to give our users the opportunity to write Validation Rules in the editor, which has the appropriate syntax highlighting and Code Completion to go along with it! It would be even cooler to make a graphical application to edit rules (which would duplicate and supplement the editor), but I'm afraid that it won't be done at this current stage. But hopefully closer to winter.

Another related task is a Workflow Editor. Is this a huge and ambitious goal, you bet it is - to make a much more faster and convenient interface, for creating and editing, than Salesforce has. However, currently, we are going to only make syntax highlighting and Code Completion in the editor, for creating and editing the Workflow conditions. Did you pick up on that "only"? Well, by this I mean "a little bit". We would like to do as much as possible, but, unfortunately, we're a bit limited in resources to complete all that we want in this timeframe. :-)

Now for the gifts that we are preparing for the developers. We have a few gifts, and the first of them is Lightning enhancements. We will continue improving the Lightning Previewer, updating the browser version, making it more reliable, and we are still planning to complete the part of this that is related to the Code Completion. Code Completion for Lightning (or for JavaScript, or for Lightning + JavaScript) will be available in the app.

We are also going to vastly revise the Apex-Autoformat feature. But this is not for sure yet. This is more of a wish than a real possibility at this time.

And of course, for developers, we'll create support for the Salesforce DX features. What exactly? This is a little secret yet. Come to our booth during TrailheaDX '17 and we will be able to discuss it in more detail there! But seriously, this is still in the pilot stage, and we are still working on the details because of this. Upon the whole, I will keep you updated as I get the information, and as it comes in.

And as a logical follow-up for the already known (at least I hope already known) TWS Debugging features - the support of Salesforce’s Interactive Debugger. For the most part, almost all the available debugging tools, for Salesforce apps, will be included in TWS with the implementation of this feature.

All the tools that are included in TWS IDE, probably still can be what we would call “perfect”. And we will keep on improving them. By the way, precisely by the autumn, we are going to significantly improve TWS’s Retrospective Debugger, and to do this we plan to enable step-by-step debugging of not only the source code, but the Validation Rules with Workflows too. You probably already have experienced what an uneasy task it is - to find an error in these notes! What a relief it will be to say, “Done with it at last!”

And as it might have become clear from the previous paragraph, I have started listing features that are interesting for both Developers and Admins. The next such feature is - implementing users' roles in TWS like having an option to log into TWS depending on the type of task you perform - and we will open a more convenient window configuration, for example, for administration tasks if you are dealing with them. And of course, we will let you save your own profiles for each role. In this case, you will be able to completely change the settings for the environment while changing the role. We are now working on the design of this functionality, and it would be great if you could write us what settings you'd like to see for Admins, and what settings you would like to see for Developers.

Also, for both user groups, there will be some small interesting, but important features, like scheduled jobs monitoring and management, and flex queue monitoring and Management.

Even more, there will be a lot of service improvements. For example, finally, we'll add having a possibility to perform forced TWS update.

So as you can see, there are a lot of plans and improvements on our roadmap and just to let you know that this is not a final plan, and that it might be changed. But I want to assure you that we will leave no stone unturned to get what I listed above done on time.

And what is more, I would like to invite you to visit The Welkin Suite's booth at TrailheaDX '17 - to not only discuss the details of each feature, but try first hand what we have already done. As a rule, we always listen to our users' opinion, and we're not going to leave off this rule in the future. These faces will be happy to see you at the TrailheaDX '17 conference, specifically at Moscone West on June 28-29 (on the second level).

Update 12-Jul-2017

Hey guys. I would like to provide you with a brief update about a progress with The Welkin Suite Bloom and Blaze Series. I am sorry for weeks of silence from out team but we have had to complete some urgent work! After TDX'17 and "unexpected" SalesforceDX Beta release our team was focused on tasks related to SalesforceDX features. BTW we are going to release them beginning of August 2017 and so you will be able to use newest Salesforce Development features very soon.

Also, by the end of July we are going to release the following important things:

1. Syntax highlight and Code Completion for Javascript including basic support of Lightning (Aura) and basic support of Visualforce tags (it is new and was't planned initially).

2. Role switcher: it is new and important feature. From end of July you will be able to specify your Salesforce Role (Developer or Admin for a while) and we will provide you with a preconfigured set of instruments in accordance with your role. After this you will be able to customize it and switch between profiles depending on tasks.

Update 9-Aug-2017

Hey guys. About one week ago we released Bloom R4 for PC containing all the features promised in the previous update (Role switcher including new Admin Panel) and Syntax highlighting and Code Completion for Javascript (including Lightning and Visualforce support). Next week these features should be available in Mac release as well.

Next release for PC is planned for third week of August and should contain promised DX support. Nobody knows how it will be. The core team is working under closed doors. It should be impressive!

Update 5-Sep-2017

Hello Everybody! This week our team released one of the most important updates of The Welkin Suite ever. I'm talking about SalesforceDXsupport. It was promised one week ago, I know, but it takes a bit more time then expected. Anyway it is a great update. We implemented SalesforceDX by the way that doesn't require to use CLI at all. All the features of SFDX are available in graphical user interface! How it should be in XXI century! You can find all the details in the release notes or join our Release Highlight Webinar that will be 12th of September.

Also, I would like to confirm that almost all the features that we announced to be completed by Dreamforce 2017 should be completed in time.

by the end of September: improved Javascript Code Completion, scheduled jobs monitoring feature, Validation Rules and Workflows editors and new generation of Static Resource Create and Management bundle.

by the end of October: new pull feature, support SOQL Code Completion and updated Debugger (support Validation Rules and Workflows)

I will keep you updated about the progress. For a while you have a chance to play with most powerful SalesforceDX support.

Meet @TheWelkinSuite team at #Dreamforce17!

The Welkin Suite Bloom Release AnnouncementList of The Welkin Suite goals for the nearest monthsCEO and Head of Product